Gears

The funding program of the LIGHT profile

Supporting members of the LIGHT profile
Gears
Image: Pixabay/Mustangjoe

The funding program of the LIGHT profile focusses on the further development and sharpening of the scientific LIGHT profile, the support of top-level research (e.g. new initiatives of Collaborative Research Centers), the promotion of young scientists and the enhancement of the international appeal of Jena as a location of research and innovation.

The funding lines listed below are intended to support researchers of the university in their scientific and coordinating activities to strengthen LIGHT's profile. However, the funding lines listed should not be understood as fixed guidelines. Rather, the specific measures to be funded from the LIGHT profile budget can be freely proposed by the LIGHT's researchers as long as they make a significant contribution to the achievement of LIGHT’s objectives.

Both interdisciplinary proposals within the faculties and scientific centers of LIGHT and initiatives that generate synergies with non-university institutions and centers (DLR-JenaExternal link, D.O.M.External link, HIJExternal link, HIPOLE JenaExternal link, IKTSExternal link, Fraunhofer IOFExternal link, Leibniz-IPHTExternal link, LPIExternal link) as well as with the other profiles LIFE and LIBERTY will be addressed with the program.

Submission Modalities

  • Target group of the funding program

    The funding program is open for all researchers of the university focusing on the main research areas of the LIGHT profile, but in particular professors and junior research group leaders as well as postdocs and doctoral students for some programs. Please refer to the subpages of the respective funding line for detailed information on the target group addressed.

    In particular, activities focusing on LIGHT’s main research areas are supported:

    - Optics and Photonics
    - Materials and Nanotechnologies
    - Energy Storage/Conversion and Environmental Technologies
    - Data and Information

  • Submission of proposals

    Proposals can be submitted by researchers of the university via e-mail to LIGHT’s coordinator Dr. Jana Hölzer (jana.hoelzer@uni-jena.de).

    Proposal format:
    - informal, 1-2 pages, language: English
    - description of the project and the requested funds
    - clear explanation of the added value for the LIGHT profile

  • Submission deadlines

    Proposals for the funding program can be submitted at any time, there are no formal deadlines.

    Decisions on the funding of incoming proposals are usually made at the meetings of the coordination team of the LIGHT profile, which take place four times a year.

    All proposals received up to one week before the meeting date are discussed at the respective meeting.

    The following dates are planned:

    19.06.2024: Decisions on proposals received by this date will be made at the meeting on 26.06.2024.
    16.10.2024:
    Decisions on proposals received by this date will be made at the meeting on 23.10.2024.

    In justified exceptions, decisions by the coordination team can also be decide at short notice by circular procedure.

  • Amount and period of the funding

    Submitted projects can only be funded within the respective year since LIGHT receives funding budget at the beginning of each calendar year for the period of the current year.

    Applicants therefore undertake to guarantee the requested fund flows in the respective application year or to inform the coordination team in case the projects could not be finished on time.

    Please refer to the subpages of the respective funding line for detailed information concerning the maximum amount of funding for each funding line. In exceptional cases, funding in excess of this amount may be approved if justified.

  • Funding procedure

    Start and funding of the respective project is possible directly after receiving the funding approval. Unless otherwise agreed, the approved funds can only be spent within the year of approval (see “Amount and period of funding”).

    Applicants of the funding program shall ensure complying the project objectives in accordance with the respective work schedule and financing plan.

    For organizational support the coordinator of the LIGHT profile assists dealing with administrative issues (application of funds, contact with the university administration unit).

    By accepting the funding, the responsible researchers undertake to send a short report (in English) summarizing the results of the project and concretizing the added value for the LIGHT profile (including feedback on the further development of the funding program of the LIGHT profile).

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